Laser shaving

Abstract

A device configured to cut hair using laser light includes a handle portion and a shaving portion. The handle portion includes a battery and a laser light source. The laser light source is coupled to and configured to receive power from the battery. The laser light source is also configured to generate laser light having a wavelength selected to target a predetermined chromophore to effectively cut a hair shaft. The shaving portion includes a support and a single fiber optic supported by the support. The fiber optic has a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall, and a cutting region positioned towards the distal end and extending along a portion of the side wall. The fiber optic is positioned to receive the laser light from the laser light source at the proximal end, conduct the laser light from the proximal end toward the distal end, and emit the light out of the cutting region and toward hair when the cutting region is brought in contact with the hair.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device configured to cut hair using laser light, the device comprising:
 a shaving portion configured to be coupled to a handle portion, the shaving portion comprising:
 a support; 
 a fiber optic supported by the support, the fiber optic having a first portion, a second portion, an outer side wall, and a cutting region positioned towards the second portion and extending along a portion of the outer side wall; and 
 a coating positioned on at least a portion of the fiber optic; 
 
 wherein the shaving portion is configured to provide laser light having a wavelength selected to target a chromophore to cut a hair shaft, and 
 wherein the fiber optic is positioned to receive the laser light at the first portion, conduct the laser light from the first portion toward the second portion, and emit at least a portion of the laser light out of the cutting region. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a tuned index thin film. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has an index of refraction greater than about 1.477 and less than about 1.569 at 400 nm. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a dense optical coating comprising one or more of metal oxide, metal nitride, carbon, silicon, or a dielectric compound. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has an optical index of refraction in the range of 0.5 to 3 times the index of refraction of the fiber optic. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied to only one side of the fiber optic along its outer side wall. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a film having a thickness on the order of a wavelength of the laser light or up to four times thinner or thicker than the wavelength of the laser light. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a film having a thickness that is an odd multiple of one-quarter of a wavelength of the laser light. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a film that is one or more of electrically conductive, electrically resistive, transparent, indium tin oxide, tin oxide, oleophilic, oleophobic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, self-cleaning, and/or photocatalytic. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a photocatalytic film comprising TiO 2 . 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the photocatalytic film has a thickness in the range of from 2 nm to 1000 nm. 
     
     
       12. A method of shaving hair with laser light, the method comprising:
 providing a device configured to cut hair, the device comprising:
 a shaving portion configured to be coupled to a handle portion, the shaving portion comprising:
 a support; 
 a fiber optic supported by the support, the fiber optic having a first portion, a second portion, an outer side wall, and a cutting region positioned towards the second portion and extending along a portion of the outer side wall; and 
 a coating positioned on at least a portion of the fiber optic; 
 wherein the shaving portion is configured to provide laser light having a wavelength selected to target a chromophore to cut a hair shaft, 
 wherein the fiber optic is positioned to receive the laser light at the first portion, conduct the laser light from the first portion toward the second portion, and emit at least a portion of the laser light out of the cutting region; and 
 directing the laser light through the cutting region. 
 
 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a tuned index thin film. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating has an index of refraction greater than about 1.477 and less than about 1.569 at 400 nm. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a dense optical coating comprising one or more of metal oxide, metal nitride, carbon, silicon, or a dielectric compound. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating has an optical index of refraction in the range of 0.5 to 3 times the index of refraction of the fiber optic. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating is applied to only one side of the fiber optic along its outer side wall. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a film having a thickness on the order of a wavelength of the laser light or up to four times thinner or thicker than the wavelength of the laser light. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a film having a thickness that is an odd multiple of one-quarter of a wavelength of the laser light. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a film that is one or more of electrically conductive, electrically resistive, transparent, indium tin oxide, tin oxide, oleophilic, oleophobic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, self-cleaning, and/or photocatalytic. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises a photocatalytic film comprising TiO 2 . 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the photocatalytic film has a thickness in the range of from 2 nm to 1000 nm.